Looping
by AstraPerAspera
Summary: So exactly how many times did Jack kiss Sam before the Window of Opportunity closed?  A brief little insert for what we now know was just the tip of the iceberg...


**LOOPING**

The first time he kissed her he timed it perfectly so that the time loop would start again and he wouldn't have to deal with the fall-out of what he'd done. To be honest, he hadn't been sure what to expect. The shocked silence of the on-lookers had been a little disconcerting, but he'd done his best to block out the audience and concentrate on trying to read Sam's reaction. It hadn't been too difficult. After her initial hesitation, she had responded whole-heartedly. Her hand had gone to his neck, pulling him closer and she had met his hungry kiss with her own.

And then they were sitting back in the commissary with that damned spoonful of Fruit Loops poised halfway to his mouth.

o-o-o-o

The second time he kissed her he decided he needed a little more time. And he thought maybe he'd lose the watch cap. The thought of her fingers running through his hair had been something he'd contemplated for quite some time now, and seeing as how she hadn't slapped him or pulled away the first time around, he was willing to risk a slightly longer encounter.

"You're resigning? What for?" exclaimed Sam, a full forty-five seconds earlier than she had the last time around.

Jack checked his watch.

"So I can do this…"

And he grabbed Sam and bent her over backwards, wondering if it would be the same.

It was. Yet different too. He felt her fingers in his hair, her lips responding to his, the dizzying sensation of going without air for that long.

And then Fruit Loops. Again.

o-o-o-o

The third time he kissed her, he decided he really didn't want an audience after all. It took a little more planning. And a little help from Teal'c. The big guy had delivered the letter of resignation on his behalf. As predicted, Sam had come looking for him.

"Sir—Teal'c just told me…" If he hadn't known what would happen next the hurt in her voice would have cut him to the quick. "I don't understand…why?"

"Rules, Carter."

She looked perplexed. He didn't blame her.

"Rules, sir?"

"Yeah—" he reached out and took her by the arms. "If I were still your CO, I couldn't do this…"

He pulled her to him, gently this time, testing, to see if she would pull back. She nearly did—he sensed the momentary hesitation as a questioning look shadowed her face. It vanished in an instant, though, and she moved into his arms as naturally as if she had been in them a hundred times already. Their lips met, tentatively at first, the air of impropriety still lingering. Sam pulled back a moment, searching his face. Jack offered up a half-pleading, half-challenging look and her face broke into a large grin. A very kissable grin. Jack pulled her back to him, and this time their kiss lasted a whole lot longer.

Until the Fruit Loops. Again.

o-o-o-o

He tried that scenario a half-dozen times, moving it back a little each time. Who knew it was possible to share lip space for that long without coming up for air? And Carter…Sam—each time through the passion of her response surprised him. Actually, it astounded him. Something about still waters running deep came to mind. Given the opportunity, she was as hungry for him as he was for her.

Finally he had to stop. They'd worked their way up to some serious necking in the privacy of her lab and there was only one place any of that could lead, and Jack just wouldn't do it. Not this way. Not when she had her memory wiped every time. Not when he knew, if the damned looping were ever to stop, he would _not_ be turning in his resignation and stepping down as her CO. Maybe in one of those damned confusing alternate universes they came across from time to time, yeah—but not in this one. He cared about her too much. He respected her too much. And it was hard enough to know she would never share the memory of their passion—as far as it had gone. He wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize their friendship or their working relationship, because he knew, in the end, that for the time-being that was the best he could hope for. Maybe one day when the world didn't need saving quite so often as it did now he'd think about writing up that letter of resignation for real. Inviting her to go fishing. Telling her a few things he suspected she already knew. But that day was still far, far away.

He'd have to keep it to himself for now.

Still—one last time couldn't hurt.

So he went back to his original scenario.

"Excuse me…George."

"Colonel…what are you doing out of uniform?"

"Handing you my resignation."

"You're resigning? What for?"

Jack checked his watch very carefully and then, just as the second hand hit the twelve, said:

"So I can do this…"

He swept her off her feet one last time and kissed her as passionately as he knew how. And she was still kissing him back when he felt that strange sensation grab him for the umpteenth time and….

"How do _you _feel?" Daniel's voice was borderline petulant.

Jack stared at his Fruit Loops, and then he stared over them. At Sam, who was eyeing him quizzically. He couldn't help himself. A satisfied, half-smile tugged at his lips. Sam gave him another funny look and he could practically hear her saying: What?

But he decided not to answer. If the day ever came when he'd get something to eat other than these damn colored sugar rings he'd rejoice. And not just because maybe he'd have oatmeal for breakfast. Because now he knew, without any doubt, that should the day come when he could plant a kiss on Sam without censure, she would welcome it as much as he.

It pretty much made the looping worthwhile.


End file.
